Haryana Assembly Speaker Takes Up MLA Complaints Against Officials' Behavior
In a significant development ahead of the budget session, Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan on Tuesday held a crucial meeting with Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi to address mounting complaints from legislators regarding unsatisfactory and discourteous behavior by some government officials.
Meeting Focuses on Mutual Respect and Procedural Adherence
The discussion occurred when Rastogi visited Kalyan at the assembly premises to review preparations for the budget session commencing this Friday. During their interaction, Speaker Kalyan issued clear directives emphasizing that prescribed procedures, decorum, and mutual respect must be strictly maintained in all official dealings with public representatives.
"The guidelines issued by the central government regarding official conduct between administration and MLAs explicitly require officials to behave politely, promptly, and responsively with elected representatives," Kalyan stated during the meeting.
Widespread Complaints from Across Party Lines
MLAs from nearly all political parties have reportedly voiced grievances about non-cooperative attitudes from certain officials, both during assembly sessions and in external interactions. This issue gained particular attention following a recent incident where police registered a case against Congress MLA Jatinder Hans from Guhla for allegedly offering a baby rattle to a Sub-Divisional Magistrate during a protest demonstration.
Kalyan emphasized that correspondence, suggestions, and references from MLAs should receive priority attention according to established rules, with communication processes remaining transparent and respectful at all times.
Chief Secretary Raises Concerns About MLA Conduct
During the same meeting, Chief Secretary Rastogi brought to the speaker's attention that some legislators have used undemocratic language when interacting with administrative officials. In response, Speaker Kalyan referenced the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee report, which outlines ethical conduct standards for public representatives as well.
"According to these established standards, elected representatives must also maintain dignity and integrity in public life while avoiding unnecessary interference in administrative work and showing proper respect for rules and procedures," Kalyan noted, highlighting the reciprocal nature of respectful conduct.
Strengthening Democratic Systems Through Mutual Accountability
The assembly speaker stressed that for the democratic system to function effectively, both administration officials and public representatives must discharge their responsibilities with appropriate decorum and accountability. "The strength of our democratic institutions depends on mutual respect between elected representatives and administrative officials," Kalyan asserted during the discussions.
Chief Secretary Rastogi provided assurances that appropriate action would be taken regarding the concerns raised. He confirmed that necessary instructions would be issued to all government officials to ensure proper conduct in their interactions with legislators.
This meeting represents a proactive approach to addressing conduct issues before the upcoming budget session, aiming to create a more collaborative working environment between Haryana's elected representatives and administrative officials.
